


The Lodge Outreach Programme

by Anonymous



Category: Horus Heresy - Various Authors
Genre: Conspiracy, Gen, Missing Main Character, Missing Scene, Warrior Lodges (Warhammer 30K)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-31
Updated: 2020-12-31
Packaged: 2021-03-11 02:20:40
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,383
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28457463
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/
Summary: Torgaddon, Aximand, and the plot to bring Loken into the lodge.
Kudos: 8
Collections: PB Anon Meme - 2020





	The Lodge Outreach Programme

"I don't know about this..." Aximand said when they were done. "You're the one who said he was so straight up-and-down."

"He is, he is," Torgaddon agreed, light-hearted as usual, "But straight up-and-down is what we need right now." He batted his lashes at his fellow captain, "In the words of the First Chaplain: Have faith, Little Horus."

Aximand snorted and turned away in implicit compliance.

-

"Have faith, you said," Aximand deadpanned.

"I don't understand," Torgaddon protested, gesturing to the mountain of food and drink he had managed to reappropriate. "There's pork shank and wine! What more could he need?"

"Like you said," Aximand started, only to incline his head in greeting as the lodge master joined their conversation.

"Serghar," Tarik greeted, clapping a hand on the Seventh Company Captain's shoulder. "How're things?"

"Aximand," Targost tilted his head. "Tarik. What's this all about?"

"What's what all about?"

Targost turned to the other member of the Mournival, raising an eyebrow. "Aximand?" he asked again.

Aximand shifted uncomfortably and then sighed: "Tarik's hatched a plot to bring Garviel into our ranks."

"You mean into the silent brotherhood?" Targost whirled on the Second Captain, "Well why the hell didn't you _tell_ me?"

"What," Aximand managed to get in.

"Well," Torgaddon started.

"I've been trying to get him to join for _years_ ," Targost continued, "But he'll have none of our feasts or card games."

"It'll be worth it," Torgaddon swore, "Garvi's an amazing storyteller and he's actually got a sense of humour, buried right next to that stick of his." The two other captains chuckled at this. "All we have to do is entice him to one meeting and the lodge'll do the rest."

"A fine plan," Aximand agreed, as he had at the onset, "But you've yet to accomplish the first step."

"How about something more refined?" Targost suggested, tugging on the edge of his chin. "A poetry-reading session or what have you."

"Poetry reading?" Torgaddon repeated, visibly dismayed.

"Play-acting then," Targost amended. "Reading lines from a script all dramatic."

"Sounds like the sort of foppery the Third get up to," Torgaddon wrinkled his nose.

"Then Garvi'll love it," Aximand rolled his eyes.

"Actually," Torgaddon laughed, elbowing his battle-brother in the side, "Good point. Okay, sure. Which play?"

"Chronicles of Ursh?" Targost suggested. "That's got a Cthonic adaptation."

"Excellent," Torgaddon beamed.

"Loken's too high-brow for that sort of stuff," Aximand said at the same time. Then, when Torgaddon gave him another dismayed look, he added: "You know I speak the truth."

"Fine, fine," Torgaddon sighed, "A tragedy then. Aedepyss?"

Cue Targost and Aximand raising their eyebrows anew.

"What?" Torgaddon asked, "Too weepy? Okay, then what about the Fifth Horseman?"

"No, no," Targost said, recovering first, "There's nothing wrong with Aedepyss, just..." he trailed off.

"What?"

Targost looked at Aximand. Aximand shrugged his shoulders.

"What," Torgaddon repeated.

"Just doesn't seem like you'd read that sort of work," Targost lamely concluded.

"Actually I was just having difficulty imagining Tarik reading," Aximand clarified.

Torgaddon crossed his arms with a huff. "Some brothers you are," he grumped, "One for all and all for one, was it?" He flounced off to Sedirae's table, taking the lion's share of the pork with him as he went.

Targost turned back to Aximand and raised an eyebrow. "Any chance of him coming?" he asked.

Aximand snorted. "A bullet's got a better chance of making it through Ezekyle's armour."

"I'll prepare the scripts," Targost reassured him, "Just in case."

-

"What the hell is going on," Abaddon growled as he stalked his way to the centre of the lodge.

"Ezekyle," Torgaddon greeted, "You're not supposed to be here."

"I told him to come," Maloghurst admitted.

"Mal!" Torgaddon admonished.

"The First Captain has a right to know," the Primarch's equerry insisted.

Torgaddon rolled his eyes and crossed his arms. "You're all making a mountain out of a molehill, alright? Garvi's just upset about the incident at the Whisperheads, nothing will come out of this."

"What is 'this'?" Abaddon demanded.

"Nothing," Torgaddon insisted.

"Captain Loken is looking into lodge activities," Targost admitted, pre-emptively shooting Torgaddon an apologetic look, "There are rumours he means to take it up with Lupercal himself."

"Bullshit," Torgaddon snorted.

"No, he just might," Sedirae insisted.

"Bullshit."

"He's too easily," Abaddon agreed. "It was a poor choice of yours, to bring him into the council."

Torgaddon's eyes flashed dangerously at that. "Don't mix business with pleasure Ezekyle," he warned.

"The lodge is in this predicament because you mixed the two," the First Captain shot back.

"It's not _in_ any predicament!" Torgaddon insisted.

Maloghurst cleared his throat, moving to stand between the two highest-ranking captains. "Tarik," he started, "You took a risk in trying to bring an unwilling member into the Silent Brotherhood."

"He's not unwilling," Torgaddon huffed. "Just... ignorant."

"He's dead-set on his ignorance," Abaddon snorted, "And he'd rather die than be illuminated."

Torgaddon made to launch himself at the First Captain, non-aggression pact within the lodge premises notwithstanding, but was ultimately held back by Targost and Sedirae.

"Face it," Abaddon sneered, "You fucked up big time and now we'll have to clean up your mess."

Torgaddon spat, meaning to temporarily blind (or at least shut up) his closest battle brother. The lob of spit hit Aximand instead, who chose that moment to step in.

"Fuck," Torgaddon said, all choler escaping him, "Little Horus, I'm sorry, I -- " he quickly slipped out of Targost and Sedirae's grasp, going over to the other.

"Here," Maloghurst said, offering a nearby towelet.

"I'll do it," Aximand announced at the end of it.

"You'll kill him?" Abaddon asked.

"What?" Aximand blanched. "No!" He tossed the acid-speckled towel off. "I meant I'll be the one to bring Garviel into the lodge."

Abaddon snorted. "You?"

"Yes, me."

"Little Horus, don't take this the wrong way, but Garvi really isn't close with you..." Torgaddon started.

"He's taken my advice on several occasions," Aximand retorted, "And if we are not close yet, we should be. For are we not sworn brothers now?" He looked at the assembled Astartes and felt a swell of affection well up in his chest. Never before would he have thought himself worthy of calling any of the others 'brother'.

"That's," Torgaddon started and then trailed off.

"Let him, Tarik," Maloghurst urged.

"I agree," Luc grinned, "See if a feather can do what a dagger can't, eh?"

Torgaddon instead turned to Abaddon, raising an eyebrow of his own.

"What?" the First Captain asked.

"Will you hold off on issuing the kill order until Little Horus has tried his hand?" Torgaddon asked.

Abaddon grunted, rolling one shoulder.

"Alright then," Torgaddon beamed, turning to Aximand and settling both hands on his shoulders. "You've got a big task ahead of you. The future of the lodge and the Mournival rest on your shoulders."

Aximand swallowed, entirely serious. "Do you want me to make an oath of moment?" he asked.

There was a beat of silence, and then all the assembled Astartes burst out into laughter. Even Maloghurst gave a wry chuckle. Aximand's ears turned bright red and he shrugged off Torgaddon's hands.

"Sorry, sorry," Torgaddon apologised, wiping away tears, "It's just you were so serious! Don't be. Just... be yourself and try your best. It's all we can ask of you."

"Understood," Aximand nodded, "I won't fail." He made the aquila and then hurried away.

As soon as the Captain of the Fifth Company left the meeting room, Torgaddon turned to the rest of them.

"Any bets on whether he'll be able to drag Garvi to one of these?" he asked.

"You can have the next speartip if he does," Abaddon offered.

Torgaddon brightened up and just like that, their bad blood was brushed aside. "You're on," he said, spitting into his palm before sticking it out. The First Captain did the same and they shook on it.

"Hey, Mal," Sedirae said while the two permanent members of the Mournival were making their bet, "There's no chance Lupercal'll call a stop to the lodge, right?"

Maloghurst gave his trademark crescent moon smile as he looked upon the First and Second Captains.

"No," he answered, "He is, in fact, more than sympathetic."

"More than sympathetic?" Targost repeated. This was news to him.

"Patience, my brothers," Maloghurst chided, "Our time in the limelight will come."


End file.
